What's in a Name?

The name is perhaps the most definitive characteristic of a neighborhood, but where does it come from?

When someone pulls up to a neighborhood, one of the first things he or she will likely see is a sign bearing its name. The flower-surrounded letters and stone fonts label the neighborhood, but can also tell a lot about the community.

Neighborhoods have reputations. The name tells a story to residents, visitors and potential buyers. Whether that story is an image conjured by the words or some meaning developed over time, it’s likely one of the most noteworthy aspects of a neighborhood.

“A good name is very worthwhile because people are going to be using that name forever,” says Charlie Driscoll, president of Edwards Land Company.

While these neighborhood names may become a part of the city over time, in Dublin the city has little to do with the names. They’re actually decided by developers such as Edwards. The company has named quite a few Dublin neighborhoods, including Coventry Woods, Kerry Glen and Waterford Village.

“We buy farms and turn them into neighborhoods,” says Driscoll.

After the land is bought, developers submit the name to the City of Dublin. For the City, putting the name on record is a small task, but for the developers, the name can be a challenge.

“Naming them is a hard thing to do,” Driscoll says. “It has to be pronounceable and memorable. There (are) a lot of ways to mess it up.”

There are many aspects to consider when choosing a name. A name can come with negative connotations, be difficult to pronounce or just be hard to remember. Developers also consider the names of neighborhoods in surrounding areas to avoid repetitive choices.

Some elements are easy to account for, such as checking for repeated names, but others such as length and general sound are more abstract considerations. For Dublin, that sound often pays tribute to European heritage and the city’s Irish community.

“Most of them have some sort of English or Irish or Scottish ring to them,” Driscoll says.

These influences can be seen in the names of neighborhoods such as Ballantrae and Bristol Commons.

Reaching a final name doesn’t follow an exact science for Edwards. Driscoll says the process can vary from a quick decision to a process lasting several weeks. The company uses an informal process to reach a committee decision on the most fitting name.

“The name’s very important. We spend a lot of time thinking about it; we approach each one separately,” Driscoll says.

One method the company uses takes advantage of familiarity with the land’s previous owner.

With large farms, well-known owners provide the area with a recognizable name before the land becomes a neighborhood. Driscoll says Tartan Ridge is an example of a neighborhood that took the owner’s name as people were already familiar with the farm’s location.

“We named it Tartan so at least people would know where it was,” he says.

In Dublin, the previous owner’s name might also stick around as a form of respect to the family’s long ownership of the land. Llewellyn Farms is one neighborhood that kept the name of the former land owners for this reason.

“Sometimes these farms go back hundreds of years, and they’re in the same family,” says Driscoll.

Geography can contribute to the naming process as well. Natural features are often appealing or noteworthy characteristics and names can highlight these features to attract neighborhood attention.

Wyandotte Woods earned its name this way due to the thick trees in the area. Driscoll says the woods were a prominent feature of the land.

Other neighborhoods take names from characteristics such as an onsite glen or creek. Driscoll says some developers will include these features in the name even when they are not present on the site just to gain the benefits of their appeal.

Wherever the name might come from, it’s important that the name tells what to expect from the neighborhood.

“You’re trying to create an image in the purchaser’s mind, ‘what kind of neighborhood will that be?’” Driscoll says.

In Dublin, these names pay tribute to the community’s heritage and highlight the landscapes that make each neighborhood unique.